Chicago Gay & Lesbian Weddings
Planning a gay & lesbian wedding in Chicago? Chicago is a gay-friendly city with well-known Boystown in Lakeview and Andersonville as the local lesbian neighborhood. Navy Pier, Millennium Park, The Chicago Theatre, the Mag Mile – your guests will love exploring the windy city and the photo-ops are endless in the Windy City.
This link will take you to a list of all our wedding vendors located in Chicago, IL that are LGBT-friendly and welcome the gay & lesbian community. These wedding professionals helped fight for marriage equality and cheered and cried when the SCOTUS ruling made same-sex weddings officially legal on June 26, 2015.
Once you have a rough estimate of your wedding budget, your first step is to start researching and emailing/calling wedding vendors. A Venue, photographer, officiants, caterers, and videographers are just a few of the most important people you hire to create your wedding day.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Planners
If you have the budget, your first step should be to hire a wedding planner. They will walk you through the process – which we all have heard over and over can be stressful, and time consuming. With a wedding planner you can still have control over the vision of your wedding and share your ideas, but you don’t have to get involved in all the details and nitty gritty work that planning a wedding involves. See our list of Chicago LGBT Wedding Planners who have worked with same-sex couples or who are thrilled to help their first same-sex wedding paint the town.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Photographers
Find a great Chicago wedding photographer that has photographed a gay or lesbian wedding or that is pumped to have you and your fiancé be their first same-sex couple. Your wedding photographs are meant to last a lifetime. Don’t skimp on this part of your wedding. Asking guests to take photographs is one thing but you want your guests to concentrated on having fun and enjoy themselves at your wedding. Also, after one too many cocktails, they may not take the best shots or remember to be snapping away.
Hire a professional to ensure you have wedding photos to share with friends, family and co-workers after the wedding. You need great wedding photos to update your profile pic on Facebook when your anniversary rolls around or someone from your wedding party has a birthday. Wedding photos are going to be used to celebrate your day long after it ends. And it goes by so quickly so make sure you have something to look back on. See our list of Chicago Wedding Photographers that are LGBT Friendly, and pumped to photograph your lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender wedding.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Venues
Finding a wedding venue could be the most important piece of the puzzle when planning your same-sex wedding. You want to find a wedding venue that speaks to you and your fiancé, that has your date available and that fits within your budget. You want an event team that is attentive and good with details. Your wedding venue is going to be the backdrop for your wedding photos and it sets the tone for the mood and vibe for your wedding. Some venues can even do it all now – catering, flowers, officiants, decorations – you name it, it can be included. Chicago has endless options for wedding venues. From restaurants, theaters, to hotels, you dream it, you got it. See our list of Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Venues that are LGBT Friendly and with a few offering special discounts and offers to their same-sex weddings.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Officiants & Ministers
A Wedding Officiant or Minister is an important wedding vendor to hire and book for your wedding. You want to make sure you and your fiancé gel with the personality of the officiant. Your officiant should be easy going, easy to talk to, interested in learning more about you and your fiancé, how you met and be familiar with same-sex weddings or have officiated a same-sex wedding in the past. Most are outspoken about their acceptance and genuine affection for same-sex weddings. Do you want to write your own vows or use pre-made vows, do you want to get married outside or in a Museum? Ask about other gay and lesbian weddings they have been a part of and ask what they found successful or helpful. Ask them to help you brainstorm how to make your same-sex wedding unique or special for your guests. Envision your day and share this vision with your officiant so they can help you plan your same-sex wedding ceremony. See our list of Chicagoland Gay & Lesbian Wedding Officiants & Ministers that fully support marriage equality and welcome all same-sex weddings.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Caterer
The Food! If you chose a venue that doesn’t have on-site catering or in-house catering, then finding a wedding caterer is on your list of vendors to source for your wedding reception. Do you want an easy-going menu with a buffet, serve-yourself type vibe or do you and your fiancé want a sit down, passed appetizer party? Your caterer will help you finalize a menu that works for your budget and your style. Many can also create a wedding cake so you don’t have to hire a separate vendor. Or if you want to skip the cake and have a candy bar or cupcakes vs. the traditional wedding cake, they can give you creative ideas on how to wow your guests in the style you envision. Some catering companies can bring the entire bar for you as well. You want to make sure their staff are all going to be respectful that they are part of a same-sex wedding. Ask about other same-sex weddings they have catered. See our list of Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Catering companies that want to celebrate your same-sex wedding with happy wedding guests with full bellies.
Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Videographers
If you have it within your budget to hire a videographer by all means – do it! Your wedding goes by so quickly, you spend so much time and energy creating the day and the hard truth is – you won’t remember all of the lovely details you worked so hard to create without a video montage.
From capturing heart felt speeches from family members or from wedding party members, or getting you and your fiancé’s face on film when you see each other for the first time on your wedding day…..these are moments you will want to relive again or that make a fun tradition to watch on your anniversary together. See our list of Chicago Gay & Lesbian Wedding Videographer whose work will bring tears to your eyes and get you excited to seal the deal.